First-time eligibles for HOF Class of 2017 include:

[James]

Ox Emerson
Lavie Dilweg
Ken Anderson
Chuck Howley

These are my four senior candidates that should be in immediately, but I think it may never happen for Emerson and Dilweg.

[paulksandiego]

Regarding the old-timers, I'd like throw Riley Matheson and Dick Barwegan into the hat. How they haven't been selected through the years, I don't know.

[rebelx24]

Regarding the old-timers, I'd like throw Riley Matheson and Dick Barwegan into the hat. How they haven't been selected through the years, I don't know.

I'd also add Al Wistert, Bruno Banducci, Vern Lewellen, and Duke Slater as being pretty darn deserving. Just wonder how many of the people on the Seniors committee are really in the corner of any of these players anymore. I think that the last time any really old-time guys were elected was '05, when Friedman and Pollard got in.

One would hope that if they decide to go the pre-modern route again any time in the near future, some of these players get the nod over someone like Marshall Goldberg, who of course was re-nominated several years ago but failed to make it in because he demonstrably wasn't good enough.

[bachslunch]

Of the 20s-40s guys, am definitely in favor of these, in approximate descending order:

Al Wistert
Lavvie Dilweg
Duke Slater
Verne Lewellen
Riley Matheson
Ox Emerson

Would be great to see these folks in.

Re Slater, found this interesting exchange in the comments section regarding him at the Talk of Fame website:

http://www.talkoffamenetwork.com/state- ... ke-slater/

Poster Neal said:

"Yes! Just saw this…excellent job by Ron Borges here. Slater is long, long, long overdue for Hall of Fame consideration.

I’ll tackle his question about why Slater’s candidacy faded away. In 1970 and 1971, Slater was a Hall of Fame finalist, and he likely would have continued to be a finalist for many years until the voters rightly elected him. But in 1972, the Hall of Fame created what is now known as the Seniors Pool, so starting that year, Slater’s only path to the Hall was through the Seniors Committee. Long story short, he was lost in the abyss…the Seniors Committee has never put his name forward. Hopefully they see fit to do so soon.

Great work, Ron!"

Ron Borges replied:

"That’s an interesting point about Slater and what happened to him in 1972. AS a member of the senior committee I want to look into this further."

Given that this exchange occurred in March 2015, it may be that nothing came of it; don't recall seeing a semifinalist list for last time.

Is Neal's observation correct? I know he was a finalist those two seasons only. That certainly would explain what happened here.

[JeffreyMiller]

Is Jerry Kramer still eligible, and if so, what are his chances of ever getting in?

[Gary Najman]

Is Jerry Kramer still eligible, and if so, what are his chances of ever getting in?

I hope that finally Stanfel made it, that Kramer will follow him to the HOF while he is being alive. Stanfel, Ken Stabler and Les Richter wouldn't had been elected (And Marshall Gokdberg nominated) if they still were with us, sadly.

[Bryan]

Always thought Richter was a weird choice...kind of came from nowhere, and I remember his placekicking was mentioned as one of his HOF credentials.

It seemed like a combination of affirmative action followed by revisionist history got Fritz Pollard into the HOF...Slater would have been a much better choice if that was the tack the selection committee was taking.

I have four people I would like to see get in...Don Coryell, Steve Sabol, Chuck Howley & Randy Gradishar. I'm guessing Coryell and Sabol will always be in the discussion because their influence on the NFL was too great to overlook. Haven't heard much support of Howley in recent years...I don't know if Hanburger's enshrinement hurt his case --perhaps it was irrelevant. Always surprised that Gradishar gets no support on an annual basis.

[Reaser]

HOF class of 2017 reminded me of maybe 3 years ago on the old forum when one guy (maybe two?) argued pretty strongly for Chad Johnson being a HOF'er because, "look at his numbers" ...

[NWebster]

I'd want to toss Del Shofner's name in amongst the list of seniors who should get in right now. And that's the way I like to think of it, which is obviously very different than the voters. I basically say, of the potential senior poll who should be in tomorrow if there were no limit. That's a list that's probably 10 or 11 long, we'll ok, now the next 5 years are taken care of. The voters seem to decide on a whim every summer, usually (Richter, Stabler) because the guy happened to die right before the nomination, which is as spurious a reason as any. Personally, Stabler was never on my "should be in tomorrow" list.

[bachslunch]

HOF class of 2017 reminded me of maybe 3 years ago on the old forum when one guy (maybe two?) argued pretty strongly for Chad Johnson being a HOF'er because, "look at his numbers" ...

Wasn't me, I swear!

Seriously, no way I'd consider him a HoFer. HotVG maybe.